'We have genuine top-four belief'

Liverpool are heading into the final 13 games of the Barclays Premier League campaign harbouring a genuine belief they can clinch a top-four finish, according to Mike Marsh.

As they prepare to play host to West Bromwich Albion at Anfield this evening, the Reds are 12 points off fourth-placed Tottenham - and the first-team coach insists no-one within the squad is ready to relinquish hopes of securing a return to Champions League football.

Marsh told Liverpoolfc.com: "I think there is a real belief amongst the squad. If you look at our recent results, we've won quite a few of our games.

"I know we've drawn our last two, but they were at Manchester City and Arsenal. Prior to that I think we'd won nine out of 12, so we're going in the right direction. We're picking wins up rather than draws, and that's what gets you up the table."

He added: "If we want to get into the top four, we obviously need to win more games than we draw or lose. Out of our remaining games, we need to be winning eight, nine or 10 of them if we want to be getting into the top four."

West Brom arrive on Merseyside just two points behind Liverpool having enjoyed a highly impressive season so far under former Anfield assistant manager, Steve Clarke.

Marsh admits he's been impressed by the job the Scot has done at the Hawthorns.

He said: "He's a really nice guy and was always pleasant to us when he came down to visit us at the Academy. He's done a smashing job this season and we wish him well.

"There was a stat I saw at the weekend that said West Brom have picked up more points at this stage of the season than they ever have previously, and so he's done better than the managers they've had in the past in the Premier League. They've had some fantastic managers, so he's doing something right."

Clarke spent a year and a half with Liverpool as No.2 to Kenny Dalglish before taking the West Brom job last summer - but Marsh doesn't believe he'll have any special kind of insider knowledge.

He joked: "Everybody knows everyone's players very well. We're on television twice a week, so I don't think he's got any more inside knowledge than anyone who's sitting at home watching on their couch!"

Liverpool will aim to avenge their opening-day defeat at the Hawthorns, when they succumbed to a 3-0 loss.

However, Marsh doesn't believe the margin of the Baggies' victory was indicative of how the contest was played out.

He reflected: "My memories of that day are pretty clear. We started the game really well, but conceded a goal on the stroke of half-time when we should have been two or three goals up because we'd had a couple of clear-cut chances.

"We lost a player [Daniel Agger] to a sending-off and conceded a penalty, but I didn't see it as a 3-0 game. Unfortunately that was the final scoreline, but for 45 minutes I thought we'd played ever so well and should have been in the lead at half-time.

"The goal on the stroke of half-time and the sending-off killed us, but that happens in football and we've bounced back well."